Break the Sky
by abysmal2218
Summary: *Sequel to Into the Woods* Jack and Clementia are finally together and have a child. The restrictions are off and everyone is free to talk or be with whomever they want. However, they forgot that includes Pitch and Hades.
1. Chapter 1

_Hey! I started this story, but I don't know how often I'll be able to update and I might kick myself for it later on. I like that I can update almost daily. However, I just got news that I will be moving in a couple weeks. My life will get incredibly crazy with packing and sorting out all of the paperwork that it takes to move to a different state. I'll try to update as often as I can, but I certainly won't make promises. _

_Also, this may or may not be a long story. I mean, Into the Woods was supposed to be a one shot and now look at it, hahaha, 27 chapters later and now it's getting a sequel!_

* * *

Phil still threatened to throw Jack out. He still hovered over the winter spirit whenever he was wandering the workshop alone. Even with Clementia keeping him line, Phil still didn't trust him not to make a mess of the toys or not to freeze everything in his sight. Jack had been a little more rambunctious than usual, but that was the only way he could deal with his nerves. He was jittery and had no outlet other than to cause mischief wherever he went. Winter started earlier, infuriating Phthinophorom when the mortals had to announce a blizzard in November. She wasn't as understanding as the other sisters, though. Usually people could empathize with his nerves and let him off easy when he created havoc.

Today was worse, and even Phil couldn't bring himself to do anything about the mess. It was time. This was the moment everyone, especially Jack, had been waiting for.

It wasn't as hard as Gaia had made it sound, but the months that followed were painful. She had never been so angry at him for the littlest of things and now whenever she would spread her mercy and compassion; the after effects were almost violent. Jack often found himself flying around the world just to avoid another fight. He knew mortals were moody when they were pregnant, but for some reason he thought deities wouldn't be. He had never been so wrong in his life.

Today, Jack was actually teaming up with the elves in the workshop. He was caught a few times; playing the decoy for the smaller creatures so they could sneak passed the yetis to steal the cookies. This went on for a while until Phil decided it was best to ignore the Guardian of Fun, only to find three elves lifting his plate of their heads and scampering away. The large yeti was furious, knocking the elves over and lunging for Jack. Their scuffle was interrupted, however by the arrival of Clotho, the spinner of fate. The entire workshop silenced at his arrival and Jack flew to his wing of the hideout, barely making it at the same time as Clotho. The old god nodded to him, pushing the door open to his bedroom.

Clementia was lying on the bed with Tooth hovering over her and a small swarm of the mini fairies chirping excitedly. Gaia was standing at the foot of the bed, arms crossed and silent.

"Jack," Tooth said happily, "It's time. I'm so excited!"

He couldn't respond, only floated over to Clementia's side and held her hand.

Tooth was still chattering, saying, "I wonder what it'll be? I wonder what they'll look like."

"She," Clotho said ominously, "will be beautiful."

"We knew that!" Tooth laughed.

She was interrupted by Clementia's screams suddenly. Jack held his breath, bracing himself for the long haul of the labor. He had no idea what to expect, though. He had no idea what it was like for a deity to give birth. He had heard of it, but he wasn't sure if it was as bad as the mortals. She clasped his freezing hand tightly, screaming again. Clotho simply stood aside, a finger pressed against his lips and waited. Tooth was going crazy, buzzing around the room in excitement and confusion. Gaia knelt down, aiding her in the birth.

As soon as it began, it was over.

A wail erupted through the room suddenly and Gaia raised the pale baby up to Clotho. Jack's eyes widened, admiring his child. He watched as Clotho nodded, sticking his finger into the child's mouth and then wiping it across its forehead.

"She is beautiful!" Tooth called, smiling brightly.

"What should we name her?" Clementia asked breathlessly, looking at Clotho.

He shrugged his hunched shoulders, moving away from the sentimental scene, "Whatever you would like. I only spin the thread of lie." He sighed heavily, pulling open the door, "It's been a while since there has been an immortal child. Congratulations."

He left which was followed by Tooth and her fairies. Gaia waited expectantly, arms crossed over her chest again. She had finally handed to baby to Clementia and now both she and Jack were in awe of the tiny creature. Deities grew quickly, everyone knew that. They only had a short amount of time to spend with the newborn. Within a week, she would be a toddler.

"I don't have all day, Clem." Gaia said harshly, but still in a whisper. Jack frowned, not quite understanding how she could be so impatient with her daughter already. Gaia had given birth, but threw them aside almost as soon as they were born. She still only cared for her creations rather than her flesh and blood. She had admitted to being too old for any more children.

"Eirene," Clementia finally said, smiling at the bundled baby, "it means 'peace'."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He was wandering aimlessly. He had been doing it for almost a year now and he was still seething in a fit of rage. He was powerless again. He was invisible and powerless; two things he hated almost as much as the Guardians. He wasn't even sure where he was, but it was dark. That was all he cared for. Just as long as he was able to sulk in dark places, he didn't care where in the world he was. His mind had been racing for the past months about a revenge strategy, but nothing was really coming to him. He had plenty of time to think, but he wanted to strike back sooner rather than later. He had spent so much time working on his Nightmares that it was humiliating that they had been able to overpower him in just three days. There had to be something to get back at them. There had to be some sort of weakness in the group. He had originally thought it was Sandman, but he was wrong. He was going about this all wrong. He had to take out the strongest link in the group. He had to take out Jack Frost and then he could rule.

"Psst," a dark and guttural voice spoke from behind him. Pitch turned around to see an enormous man leaning against a tree. His skin was scabbing and dangling off of his body. Pitch could smell him from where he stood and knew that this man was evil. Pitch smiled, never having thought of teaming up with someone else before. He knew of the restrictions. "I'm Hades, Lord of the Underworld."

"Pitch Black, the Nightmare King." He bowed mockingly, yellow eyes gleaming.

* * *

_Thanks EmmerzK for this grand idea! You're my muse, for sure. _


	2. Chapter 2

Eirene Frost was special. Not only was she the product of true love, but she had extraordinary powers. She was the bearer of peace. She was born after the fighting had stopped so it was only appropriate that she would have the power to create and spread the peace. Ares wasn't fond of her much. He had seen her once at Gaia's home when Clementia had brought her for everyone to meet her. Most of the deities were still wary about being seen around the Guardians so they stayed away from their hideouts. The child was pale, much like her father, but had her mother's black hair. Her most striking feature, however, were her eyes. One was bright green and the other was shockingly blue. No one was able to tell who she took after the most since she was almost the perfect mix of both her parents. She was kind and well spoken, always remembering her manners when she needed them, but she was also mischievous. She liked the elves at North's workshop the most. Jack would find her, more often than not, hiding away with them and shoveling as many cookies in her mouth as she could.

She grew quickly, aging right in front of Clementia's eyes. She had only been born a month ago and she was already the ripe age of ten. Gaia would tut Jack and Clementia for still keeping her around and treating her like a mortal child. Clementia knew she had always wanted to have children and she wasn't sure if they were going to have any more. Gaia certainly didn't like the thought of it. She was always irritable whenever she would spend some time with Eirene, claiming she was too much like Jack. The only immortals that did enjoy spending time with Eirene and didn't mind her childish pranks were the Guardians and Amor. The god of love had taken to her almost immediately and visited with her often. He enjoyed taking her out to help spread love around the world and she loved it just as much. Amor was actually the one that discovered she had the power of peace.

She had witnessed a minor scuffle between two mortals. Perturbed, she wondered invisibly over to them and listened to them argue. She thought it was silly to fight over whatever they had so she, as she was only able to reach their legs at the time, hugged onto them. Their arguing resolved quickly afterward, stunning Amor. She was able to use her powers like her mother; a simple touch and they could spread their strength into the mortals. However, like her mother, their effects would never last forever. Amor thought differently. Eirene was born with extraordinary powers and he was starting to think the older she got, the more powerful she would become. He certainly wasn't capable of doing his job the way he did it now when he was born. He had to learn a lot of things and so did she. That was why Amor liked to spend so much time with her. He wanted to teach her.

Jack was always hovering nearby. He didn't like to admit that he had become overprotective, but if Eirene left to go anywhere without him or Clementia, he was shadowing her. Occasionally, Amor would make an inappropriate joke around her that she was too naïve to get, but Jack was still forced to freeze the god of love. He didn't want his daughter growing up and thinking the same way Amor did.

Other than spending a lot of time with Amor, Eirene also hung out with Tooth. She liked the overly excited and overly energetic fairy. She found the mini fairies the most fascinating and Baby Tooth had taken to her just as quickly as she had with Jack. The tiny fairy still preferred his company to hers, but was only because of Tooth's undying infatuation on him. There were small times when the mini fairies couldn't control their excitement for him because of Tooth. Mostly, they just liked his teeth.

Eirene also enjoyed her time with North and Sandman. She liked the way Sandy would form shapes over his head to communicate. Jack would fly her around at night and they would play in the dream sand, making her giggle. She chased the unicorns and fish around while Jack laughed about the dolphins and dinosaurs. She liked North's childish wonder. During her earlier ages, he was creating new toys for her. Jack suspected it was his way of testing them for the upcoming Christmas. She found Bunny fascinating, but he wasn't around often enough for them to bond like the others.

All in all, she was a special child. She had the protection of the Guardians, but also a large majority of the deities. The seasonal sisters would visit occasionally, but found her disposition exhausting. They weren't used to children and rambunctious children at that. Clementia wasn't going to say it was easy to raise Jack Frost's child, but she did enjoy it.

Currently, she was sitting beside the fire in North's hideout and listening as Gaia and Amor argue about Eirene's future. Jack had taken Eirene to help him spread the joy of winter where it was needed.

"She's not old enough!"

"She's plenty old enough, Amor! She needs to be out there putting her powers to use. I've never heard of an immortal child being cooped up for as long as _she_ has."

"We're not all heartless like you, Mother." Amor spat, turning his back to her and facing Clementia.

"I am not heartless. I knew that the only way for immortal children to learn their place in this world is to send them out to discover it! Eirene is too old to be treated like this."

Clementia was silently growing furious. She never thought that Gaia had treated her born children that well and now she definitely didn't like how she was expecting Clementia to do the same. Eirene was special and had to be protected. Jack and Clementia had both felt the overwhelming urge to keep her safe for as long as they could. They took her out, letting her see the world, but they had made sure to always be with her or at least she was accompanied with someone they trusted.

"It took me nearly twenty years to figure out what I was supposed to do." Amor was still arguing.

"At least Eirene knows what her powers are and what she's supposed to do with them. I think she will fine to go out on her own now."

"Why are you trying to control how Clem raises her child? Eirene isn't yours, so you should back off and let them handle her. Eirene will only age until she's twenty-five. She'll stop aging and then I think we can consider her properly capable to go out on her own."

"Clem hasn't had children before. I want to set an example for her."

Amor rolled his eyes, still facing Clementia. She was confused why these two were discussing _her_ child's fate. Eirene was able to leave whenever she wanted, although she was accompanied. She used her powers often and certainly was capable of handling herself. Jack and Clementia felt that if they were irritating her to where she wanted to be left alone and do things on her own, they would let her.

"Some example; have a child and throw them to the side days after they were born. I'm glad Clem didn't have to suffer the abandonment."

Gaia gasped, making Clementia look away from her friend towards her mother for the first time since the topic came up. They made eye contact and Clementia's anger rose even more. She wasn't sure that she would be able to contain her voice if asked to speak. She wanted Jack to be with her, but Eirene didn't need to hear this conversation.

"Clem, darling…" Gaia whispered.

She cleared her throat, trying to keep it controlled, "Amor is right, Mother. She is my child and my responsibility. Jack and I have already discussed this and have come to the same conclusion. When she asks to be on her own, she is allowed. We don't see any point in forcing her out."

* * *

_Another update! So, I had the basic outline for this written out, but then I started working on the smaller details. I'm SO excited for future chapters!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Finished the outline for this story! It looks like it'll only be 12 chapters long, but I might add more later on. I don't think it'll exceed 15 though. I promise you'll like Eirene by the end of this story and you'll love Jack and Clementia even more!_

* * *

Jack had been waiting for a while to introduce Eirene to his first believer. He wanted her to be old enough to connect with him. Jamie would always be special to him and since he had Eirene he had hoped that Jamie would be able to see her too. He doubted it though, since she was half deity. Gaia refused to let her children be seen by the mortals no matter how much they believed in them. He hadn't asked about it, but he thought that Jamie was a good way to test it. That kid believed in almost everything mythical.

Eirene had taken to flying pretty quickly, even faster than she had learned to walk. He was excited that now she was comfortable enough to race him. They sped through the clouds, laughing loudly. She was quick, almost matching his speed and skill of three hundred years. When he finally started to descend, he decided to impress her with his loops and staff tricks. She laughed, trying to mimic his moves, but she didn't have a staff to surf on. Slowly, Burgess came into view and Jack told her briefly why it was so important to him and Clementia. Not only had they had both been born and died there, but it was also the home of Jamie, his first believer. Eirene knew why believers were important to him, especially as a Guardian. She had wanted to be seen too, but Gaia had destroyed any hope at all for her. She didn't know why Jack was bringing her there; she didn't know that he wanted to test a theory he had. She was still child-like and wanted to spend time with her father. She was only aware of visiting the town where her parents fell in love.

Jack flew through the town, sprinkling snow and spreading ice in random spots, which infuriated the people below them. Eirene just laughed, knowing that was her father's way of having fun. They zoomed through the town, but stopped as they reached the pond. Jack couldn't believe his luck that Jamie and his sister would be there, as if waiting for them.

"Jamie!" He called landing and closing the distance on foot. Eirene landed behind him, but was walking apprehensively. She was used to him getting excited about spending time with his believers and she wasn't worried about his attention for her. He only had a few, but the numbers were growing as the word spread. This was actually the first time she had been close enough to touch a mortal child. She had only spent time with adults, mortal and immortal.

"Jack! Jack!" Sophie called, jumping up and down as the white haired boy got close enough. Jamie stood up, clutching to Jack's sweater and talking excitedly. Jack laughed, listening to both of the children talk, occasionally looking behind him to check on his daughter. She stood back, letting her father spend time with his believers.

Jamie eventually let go of Jack, but continued talking. Sophie was now hanging upside down in Jack's arms. Eirene laughed at the sight, trying to remember if she had ever climbed her father like that.

"Who's that?" Jamie asked suddenly, looking behind them all.

Jack dropped Sophie, crouching down to Jamie's level, "You can see her?"

Jamie nodded, still looking directly at Eirene, "Is she a new Guardian?"

Jack laughed, tosseling the boy's hair, "No, that's my daughter."

"What?" Jamie asked, still gawking at the young girl.

Jack walked back towards her, pulling on her arm for her to move forward. She reluctantly moved, hiding behind her father, but still keeping her blue eye on the boy. She had no idea how to talk to a mortal. She had been told her entire life that no mortal would be able to see her. She wasn't prepared for any kind of interaction with this boy; Jack knew that much. He also knew that she was shy for a moment, but once Jamie started asking her questions then she would relax. There were times she was a lot more like her mother than the others realized.

"Jack…how do you have a daughter? You're like…twelve." Jamie asked, making Jack laugh loudly.

"I'm eighteen, plus three hundred years old."

"Oh…" Jamie held out his hand for Eirene to shake, but the young immortal vanished behind Jack even more.

"She's just being shy. She'll get used to you in a minute." Jack explained, trying to pull her out from behind him. Sophie was standing on top of the newly placed picnic table, staring widely at Eirene.

"She's pretty." Jamie said, "Who's her mother?"

"Do you know much about mythology?" Jack asked, prying her fingers from his sweater and flying out of her reach quickly.

Jamie nodded, unfazed by Jack's sudden departure. His round eyes scanned Eirene, but listening to Jack explain the gods and goddesses and elaborating on his history with Clementia.

"I knew they were real!" Jamie shouted excitedly after Jack concluded his tale.

"Yeah, they are. They can't be seen though, no matter how much you believe in them. I'm surprised you can see Eirene."

"Why can't they be seen?" Jamie cocked his head slightly, giving Jack his full attention now.

"They don't want to. They have a nasty history with mortals so they chose to be invisible."

"What do you—"Jamie started to asked, but Jack looked passed him, blue eyes growing wide with concern. Jamie looked back to see Eirene and Sophie talking quietly and playing with the couple of ponies the younger girl had brought out. Jack jumped from the table, moving further away them.

Jack couldn't believe Amor would find him. The god of love was hiding behind a tree and Jack wasn't sure if he was hiding from the children or Eirene. He looked defeated, shaking his head slowly and his shoulders were slumped.

"What?"

"Gaia…." He started, pushing his wavy blonde hair off of his face, "She's persistent. She won't stop, especially now that…"

Jack shook his head, not quite following what was being said, "What are you talking about?"

"She wants Eirene out, Jack!" Amor shouted, "She wants her to be on her own and no matter how much Clem and I argue with her, she'll find a way to get her out of the Pole."

"She doesn't have any right, Amor. She's not Eirene's parents." Jack defended.

"It doesn't matter. She's Mother Nature, ruler of all. If you don't want Eirene to be persuaded, keep an eye on her at all times." Amor threatened, shaking his hair back into his face.

"Cupid, she can be seen by the kids. Gaia doesn't have any say over her now." Jack said calmly, leaning on his staff slightly.

"What?"

Jack nodded, pointing to the three children speaking and laughing together. Amor let his jaw slack, witnessing Eirene lift Sophie onto her shoulders and hovering over the ground. Jack could hear Jamie asking her questions, some absurd for a young immortal to know the answers to. Eirene would shake her head when she didn't know the answer, but listened as Jamie continued to rattle off even more.

"What does that mean? Is she Manny's or Gaia's?" Amor sighed, obviously not used to thinking so hard.

Jack shrugged, patting the god of love on the back quickly, "I don't know, but Gaia isn't getting her away from me, that's for sure."

Amor nodded, leaving Jack without a goodbye. Jack scowled at the faint sight of the moon, talking quietly to him. Man in the Moon was always quiet, even now after everything that had happened. The sound of the children shouting for him brought him out of his thoughts though, inviting him to play a quick game with them. They all laughed, chasing each other around and throwing the snowballs the winter spirit made just for them. Jack, however, couldn't shake the feeling that Eirene was about to be ripped away from him.

* * *

_Okay, I know it says Jack is 15 (or 17), but I wanted to make him 18. I hope no one is upset with me about that. Clementia's age is 20, btw. She was a year younger than him when he died, but three years passed before she died, which means she was 20 when she died… right? _

_Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter! _


	4. Chapter 4

_Guest, you're awesome! I love how faithful you are to this story! Thank you!_

* * *

Eirene and Jack left the Bennett children shortly after Amor's warning. Jack flew close to her, looking sideways once in a while to make sure she was still beside him. He tried not to let her know about his concern, but he wasn't willing to race or play their flying games. The over-protectiveness in him surfaced and he didn't want her to get too far ahead of him during a game that he might lose track of her. He knew Gaia only needed a second to capture Eirene. A second without his supervision and he could lose her completely.

Jack shuddered thinking about it.

Jack and Eirene had literally just landed inside the workshop before Clementia came running at them, panic etched deeply across her face. Jack leaned his staff against the thick wooden window sill, clutching her shoulders instantly.

"Loki! Loki is in trouble. We have to help him." She said desperately, trying to move out of his grasp and head out the window.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Jack asked, pulling her away.

"Hades has Loki, Jack. We have to help him."

"Are you sure Loki doesn't deserve it?"

She gave him a look, daring him to argue any further with her. Past memories had told him not to cross her any more than he had when she looked at him like that. He released her, looking back to Eirene.

"She'll be fine, Jack. We won't be gone long." She pressed, gently pulling on his sweater.

He raised a hand to Clementia, pulling Eirene further into the workshop. There were a few people he would trust to watch over her in these kinds of situations. "You have to stay here, Eirene. Do you understand? Don't go anywhere until we get back. North will be here for you. _Don't go anywhere."_

"Okay, okay." She said, rolling her eyes behind his back as they sprinted around the yetis and elves.

"North!" Jack yelled, pulling his daughter into the air to reach the large Russian faster. The rotund man turned, smiling jovially at the pair as they landed beside him then. "Watch after Eirene for me, will ya? Clem and I have to find Loki."

"Sure, sure, Jack. Be careful." The Russian nodded, patting the youngest immortal's back roughly. She stumbled, narrowing her eyes at her father as he flew off in a rush. The one bad thing about aging rapidly in front of everyone was that the mood swings and attitude was also witnessed by all. She was aware that her sudden change in attitude was caused by this and that her father wouldn't think anything of it until he wasn't in such a rush. If he were to have stuck around or witnessed her eye roll, he surely would have scolded her...or at least told her mother so she could do the scolding. In spite of what other immortals say, Jack and Clementia were a team and knew everything together.

She had only met Loki once and he scared her immediately. There was something about him that didn't sit well with her, so she cowered back whenever he was going to come around or even mentioned. She didn't like her Aunt Theros either, but that was for different reasons. Eirene had learned quickly who approved of her parents' union and who didn't. Although no one said anything about it, she could tell the seasonal sisters didn't enjoy having Jack Frost as their new brother. This naturally made her think they didn't like her. She was the child of Jack, a winter spirit and Guardian from Man in the Moon while Clementia was a deity, child of Gaia and goddess of mercy and compassion. Eirene didn't like to feel insecure, but Theros and Gaia brought those feelings out faster than anyone else could.

Eiar hung around Amor often, but Eirene was starting to become aware of the attraction the god of love had for her mother. She wasn't sure if it was because he was a free spirit and loved everyone for different reasons or if he actually found her desirable. She didn't want to know, in all honesty. She couldn't imagine her mother being with anyone other than her father. Even though they were complete opposites in personality, they were compatible for that same reason.

Eirene had hoped to have something like that one day.

The black haired, white skinned girl followed one of her favorite Guardians around, kicking his heels on accident every once in a while. Her mood swings were sure to give someone whiplash. She could only hope that they would be gone by the end of the week. The elves would rush past her and she would use the small amount of her father's powers she had inherited. They weren't much, but it was enough to startle the tiny creatures and get their attention. They were her best friends, no contest. Dingle laughed at his brother, Dangle when her frost froze his feet to the stone flooring. She winked at them, slipping past North quietly and followed the cluster of elves into the lower levels.

She knew this workshop like the back of her hand and knew the one level that hardly had any occupants. She scooped up a few of the slower moving creatures and flew them down. She let the mischievous smirk she had gotten from her father spread across her lips, but the feeling of someone watching her almost made her skin crawl. She was aware of the yetis' always watching eyes, but this felt different. She landed, fighting the urge to look over her shoulder. Dingle jumped jovially and pulled at her ankles, wanting her to go forward. Although this level was open to everyone, no one seemed to find a need for it. By the time she and the elves discovered it, the circular room had turned into a storage-like room. There, the band of misfits started building and creating from the discarded items. Eirene was impressed by the elves hidden talent of building things when they assembled a bicycle from scraps of metal and plastics. She never tested it, not trusting their skills completely, but was still impressed.

The elves scattered about the room, picking up where they had left off a few days before. Eirene decided to stay insight of the yetis. She leaned against the banister that kept everyone falling to the lowest level and sighed heavily. Her thoughts went back to her father's words before he left. Something must have scared him for him to tell her not to go anywhere without him. He was overprotective, but he never told her to _not _do something. He was usually pretty lenient about letting her discover things on her own. She knew he was always around, but this time he wasn't and she was ordered not to go anywhere. This unnerved her. Those words should have been coming out of her mother's mouth.

"Darling…" a silky voice said from behind her suddenly, making the goddess of peace jump. Eirene turned, coming face to face with one of the few that could unsettle her into insecurity. Her grandmother, Gaia was hovering in the air, elegantly leaning on the banister. She looked bored, but smug. Eirene tried to keep her expression deadpanned, but wasn't sure if she was succeeding. "My darling, sweet Eirene, how are you?"

"Grandmother," Eirene said politely even though she knew the goddess didn't like the name. "I'm very well, thank you. How are you?"

Gaia smirked, not replying to the niceties, "I noticed your changes, Ei. You're becoming quite the adult now and I think…. No, I'm sure your parents would have spoken to you about their decision, though."

Eirene frowned, "What decision?"

Gaia looked astonished, "But surely they would have wanted to tell you that they thought you old enough to live on your own by now?"

"Excuse me?" Her mood plummeted instantly. Her parents wouldn't want her to leave. They had talked about it many times before with her and decided she should stay until she felt it completely necessary to leave them. There was no pressure for her to leave.

"Well, they thought your recent attitude changes were a bit too much and thought the real world would be humbling. Poor Eirene, left in the dark again…"

Eirene's pale skin reddened at the memory, anger rushing through her body. She hadn't thought about that moment in a while, but the hurt was still there.

* * *

_I think I'll end there….._

_I'll update soon, though! I find myself growing attached to Eirene with every word I write. _


	5. Chapter 5

_I just did something really nerdy…. I went out and bought another copy of Rise of the Guardians only for the special features. Is that bad? _

* * *

She had never been so mad in all her life. She could have sworn that that conversation was just between her and her parents. She didn't think anyone would have known about it. It was out of impulse; that was all. It was the moment when she found out exactly how important and special she was. She knew she had special powers, but she didn't realize until then that she represented the union of all immortals. That was a lot of pressure for them to put on her shoulders.

She was like her father. She just wanted to have fun and be free to do whatever she wanted.

Eirene had taken flight after Gaia's words. She was too impulsive and irrational to listen to any more of what the woman had to say. She took off, ignoring the bells ringing from the elves below and flew out of the skylight. She held her composure for as long as she could, but the moment the biting winds of the North Pole struck her face, she lost control. Tears began streaming down her face, but she ignored them. She had to go somewhere. She had to be alone and sort out her thoughts. She couldn't believe her parents would want her out. They would usually talk to her, at least.

Maybe they weren't the parents she thought they were. Eirene's mind started to darken, thoughts swirling in her mind as she pondered other things they might have kept from her. She knew Manny was secretive, but Gaia wasn't. She knew Jack didn't like to keep secrets and Clementia did, somewhat. However, both of her parents agreed to not hide anything from their daughter. Why would they start now? Or have they been doing it all along?

There were too many thoughts racing around in her head for her to fly correctly. She didn't even know where she was going; just that she had to get out of the Pole and away from everyone else. Surely someone would have seen her by now and told her parents she had gone off alone. She was slowly bracing herself for the repercussions of that, but she was too angry at them to care.

She slowed down her flying when the winds became warmer. She didn't know where she was, but the subtle smells of pine and fresh spring rain reminded her of earlier that day. She wanted to spend more time with Jamie and Sophie. She reveled in their belief and imagination. She was thrilled that they could see her. She had been told her whole life that she would be invisible, but just those two children debunked it all. She couldn't help but feel like she was more Guardian than deity. Secretly, she had always wanted to be.

She flew lower to the ground, thinking that she could visit them again. Then she remembered she didn't know where they lived. She knew the town, but the town was also full of houses and children. She knew she could be weird and look into all the windows in search, but that would eventually become boring and she would lose her patience.

The sun was setting over the town and she decided to settle on a rooftop, watching all the random children retreating back into their homes. She held hope that she would see Jamie coming home, but once the final door closed, she let her shoulders slumped slightly. She just wanted to talk to someone that wasn't a spirit or deity. She wanted advice from someone her own age. She could have laughed. She was aging in front of everyone's eyes. She was sure that by the end of the day she'd look different than what Jamie had last seen her as. The changes were subtle now, not nearly as drastic as they were when she was younger, but since he had only seen her once, she was sure she would look different to him.

She shook her head, standing up from the rooftop. Her thoughts were becoming ridiculous. Why did she run away from home again?

It was absurd to think her parents would exclude her from any kind of decision, especially when it concerned her _own_ future. She wasn't sure how she had let Gaia convince her differently. Her parents loved her and always talked to her. Eirene knew she would have to leave soon, but no one was in a rush for her to leave.

She flew down to the ground, strolling through the woods casually. She didn't see any point in returning just yet. A search party hadn't been released so she didn't feel the need to rush back into the security of her parent's arms. This was her one moment of freedom and she would have to spend it how she wanted. She didn't know when she would have that luxury again. Eirene kept going through Gaia's words, laughing at how ridiculous the woman was. She couldn't believe she fell for it. Gaia obviously had no idea what her and her parents were like. Gaia was so blinded by being independent and powerful that she didn't recognize a family's love and trust. Eirene scoffed to herself, walking into a clearing and seeing the pond again.

She stopped, staring at it with admiration. Over the hundreds of years, that pond held so many memories. She could see all the love stories that unfolded throughout the years just by the carvings on the trees and by the simple fact that her parents had fallen in love by this pond. Not even death could keep them apart.

She smiled, thinking about her parents and having the sudden desire to go home. Her mood swings were really irritating her.

"Oh, hello." An accented voice said from beside her, full of feigning surprise, "I don't suppose you can see me? Or hear me?"

Eirene waited, keeping her eyes on the water and ignoring the speaker.

"Figures," the voice said, sounding dejected, "All I've ever wanted was someone to believe in me, but all I've ever gotten was rejection. Secrets and ridicule, for centuries! Can you believe that mortal?"

Eirene closed her eyes, trying not to pay any attention to the speaker. If someone had seen her, and from the sound of the voice it was an adult, she knew this person was an immortal. Jamie and Sophie were the only mortals that could see her so far. There was no likeliness that an adult mortal would be able to see her.

"I've fought and fought, but no one ever gives me a chance," he continued, "I was once told that I would do great things. I was told that I was special and would overcome many things that would change the world. No one sees that in me now. All I want is a chance to…_prove_ that I am capable of helping others."

"I know who you are." She bluffed, just hoping to get away quickly.

"You can see me?" He exclaimed, smiling and exposing his yellow teeth. Eirene cringed at the sight of his tall and menacing stature. He looked the very part of evil. "Why…now that I can see you properly, you look a lot like a dear friend of mine, Jack Frost." He turned his head, studying her closely. "But, at the same time, you don't look anything like him."

She opened her mouth to retort, however, a larger black figure rose up from the ground beside her, looming over her and making her retch from the stench.

"No," she heard the newcomer say, "She looked like Clementia."

"Oh!" The shorter of the two raised his hands up, as if realization finally struck him, "That's right. Those two are together, freeing everyone from that pesky restriction dear Mother Nature put on all of us. So, that means you must be the offspring…."

Eirene panicked, feeling as if their shadows were closing in on her. She was fast, like her father, and took flight. She didn't look back to see if they were chasing her. She had no idea who they were, but she knew trouble and evil when she saw it.


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry for the delay! I moved and have NO internet now. I'm heartbroken by it. I don't know how I've gone all this time without the internet. I have to catch up on some reading, but I wanted to upload this as soon as I could._

Jack landed before Clementia. He was worried about his trickster friend, although he hadn't seen him much since they had defeated Hades. There was something about the god that Jack enjoyed, but there was the feeling that Loki was much darker than Jack that kept them from forming a special bond. Although both were pranksters, they had different ideas of where the line should be drawn.

Loki wasn't hard to find. There wasn't much of a scene or signs of a fight, other than Loki lying on the ground. Jack set his staff down, helping Loki up. The deity coughed, shaking his head as if to clear his mind.

"What happened?" Jack asked, pulling him up to his feet.

"Hades."

"What do you mean?" Clementia asked, landing beside them and looked disconcerted. "He shouldn't be at full power yet. He should still be weak since we took over."

"He had help, Jack." Loki breathed heavily, looking up into the striking blue eyes, "I was ambushed. Black sand covered me, blinding and binding me."

"Black sand? Hades was with Pitch?"

"Why can't we just have a few years before things go awry? I mean, all of these bad things happen back to back. I'm tired of it." Jack said, ruffling his white hair and smirking slightly.

"We could ignore them. It doesn't seem like they're going after the mortals so we could just leave them alone." Clementia said, sounding unconvinced.

"That is what I would have suggested if I hadn't heard some of their conversation." Loki closed his eyes, resting a hand on Jack's shoulder for support. "They're planning on going after the two of you… and they found out your weakness."

"Eirene? " Clementia gasped, taking off instantly.

Jack's eyes widened, but wanted more information from Loki, "What did they say?"

"I don't know what they want from her, if anything, but they know about her and they kept talking about convincing her. They aren't clueless enough to talk about their plans in detail with an enemy around. I think they wanted me to warn you two."

"Why did they attack you?"

"I don't know, Jack. I guess I was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Where's Theros?"

"With Gaia, I assume."

Jack rolled his eyes, taking flight back to the Pole. He wasn't nearly as panicked about Eirene as Clementia because he knew she was safe with North. She also wasn't the type to disobey him and he had given her clear instructions to not leave the Pole while he and her mother were gone. He felt confident that she was wandering around with the elves and nothing else. Eirene was getting somewhat predictable.

Clementia was still a slow flyer and it didn't take Jack long to catch up with her. She was panicked and she he could tell she was furious with him for being so calm about it. Hades and Pitch after their daughter was a big deal and he was worried about that, but he also knew that she was in a safe location. He didn't try to calm her down. He knew it would be useless. He just flew ahead, ready to show her that there wasn't anything to worry about.

However, the moment he landed in the Pole, he could see the chaos inside wasn't related to preparing for Christmas. This was an unusual uproar and the loud chattering inside from the yetis and elves and turned into screaming and shouting. Panic could be felt within the walls from every corner of the buildings. Jack noticed almost instantly that no one noticed him and he had to fly over everyone to find North. The large man was mixed in with his yetis, waving his swords around and directing. He was speaking yetish and Jack knew something was seriously wrong.

"North!" Jack yelled, trying to find a clear spot to land.

North looked up and instead of smiling jovially to the Guardian of Fun he looked guilty. Jack couldn't find anywhere to land so he lowered himself to talk but high enough to stay out of the yetis' way.

"I'm sorry, Jack. We lost her."

"What!?" Jack yelled, making his staff glow blue for a second.

"Elves said she was with 'em and next moment, POOF, she was gone."

"She can't just disappear like that, North. Someone had to have seen her. Why would she leave like that? She was fine when I left." Jack spoke quickly, thinking as fast as he could, "Did you look in her room? What about the kitchens? Have you talked to all of the elves?"

"Jack, I did all that. She is gone."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A red barn-like house.

Eirene found sanctuary on top of it, knowing that she was still in plain sight, but she felt she was far enough away to go unnoticed. It was night time now in Burgess and she still couldn't believe she hadn't found Jamie or Sophie yet. This town wasn't that large, but it did have quite a few children in it. She wasn't a Guardian so she didn't have all the skills that came with it about locating children almost instantly.

She stared up at the Man in the Moon, talking to him with her mind. She wasn't sure if he could hear her, but she wasn't like the other immortals and spoke openly about their problems. She hoped he had seen her run in with the two evil immortals. She still couldn't' figure out who they were, but she hoped the Man in the Moon did. She hoped that, even though he wasn't going to do anything about them, that he would let her know if she was in danger. But then again, he wasn't her father. He looked over every one in the world, but he didn't do a lot to protect them. He relied on others to do his work for him and that infuriated her. She didn't understand why he didn't just come down and help them. He made all of the Guardians guess what they were supposed to do. She remembered her father telling her that he struggled for a long time about what he should be doing. It made her mad that he didn't just talk to them like Gaia spoke to her children.

"Why are you so secretive, Manny?" She finally asked out loud.

A soft noise distracted her suddenly and a small grunt came from below the roof. She stood up, alert and ready to flee in an instant. The appearance of tuft brown hair stopped her though. This person was struggling to get onto the roof, meaning that it was a mortal. Not all immortals could fly, but most had perfected the art of climbing and wouldn't have found the two story house all that difficult to climb. She waited, wondering why someone would sneak out of their house at night just to sit on the roof.

A flashlight was thrown onto the shingles and a heavy grunt echoed into the sky, revealing the one person Eirene had hoped to find.

"Jamie?" She asked, relaxing her stance slightly.

"Eirene? What are you doing here?" the boy asked, standing and gaping at her.

"Just clearing my head, I guess. Why are you out here?"

"I came out here to talk to Jack Frost…. Wait, that's your dad," Jamie laughed nervously, "I forget that he has a kid. It's weird to think about, actually. He's so young, but old at the same time."

"I get it, trust me. He was only eighteen when he died and has to stay that way forever. My mom is at least a little older, but she's stuck at twenty-one forever." She sat down again, staring up at the moon.

"Yeah, Jack did tell me a little bit about her. Clementia, right?"

Eirene nodded, thinking about her parents and that she needed to get home before they sent out a search party.

"So… what's your power? I mean, your dad, Jack, has winter and ice and frost and all that cool stuff and your mom has mercy. What can you do?" She could tell he was trying not to get overexcited.

"Peace."


	7. Chapter 7

_Hey! Here's the new update I promised! I am SO SORRY it took so long. I got a job and it's working me to the bone. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint anyone! _

_Guest, you asked how I'm getting these chapters up when I don't have internet. I have to wait until I go to my grandmother's since she has the internet. I don't go there often, but when I do I try to get a chapter up. I want to try and finish this story by the end of the month, but I won't promise it. _

Eirene and Jamie spoke for a long time that night. She had never spoken to anyone her age before and was relieved to know that her thoughts weren't so off character. Yes, she was an immortal, but it was comforting to know her mind still worked like a mortal. Her problems were still the same as Jamie's and it was even better that she could talk openly to Jamie about everything and he didn't judge her. He understood almost everything she said and was talking about. Occasionally he would ask the backstory on a few deities, like Loki and Theros, but Eirene was impressed with how much he knew. His responses were appropriate, which made him the perfect audience. He was outraged that Gaia would say those things to Eirene, but he also couldn't understand why Mother Nature would want someone so young to leave. He was only nine years old and still had a long way to go before he was able to move out of his mother's house.

Eirene had to explain, or try to, that she was spoiled compared to the others. Her parent's loved her dearly and _wanted_ her around. Gaia had never known love like Jack and Clementia, so she didn't know the power of true love and its offspring. Gaia tossed her children aside like garbage. Jamie had a hard time wrapping his mind around that. He was naïve and mortal, so his world wasn't about independence and power. Eirene would wish sometimes that she was mortal. She also had to explain to Jamie how rapidly she aged. That was another issue for Jamie to comprehend. It was hard for her to understand too. No one knew how old she would really be when she stopped aging, but Amor only assumed it was twenty-five. Every day there was a chance she would stay how she was forever.

At first, she was excited that she would stop at twenty-five, but now that she had spoken to Jamie she wished she was stuck at ten. Eirene was no fool when it came to love. She had been around her parents often enough to know what it looked like and she was certain, almost, that that was how she felt with Jamie.

She would be forever banished if she admitted to falling in love with Jamie.

The night grew colder and she could see that he was starting to shiver, discreetly rubbing his arms to warm up. Eirene chuckled, taking his hand and flying him back down to his window. She didn't want him falling off the roof because he was too numb to feel anything. Jamie, regardless of being cold, still asked her questions. He was so inquisitive and she loved it. He was still talking, but his eye lids were getting heavier and heavier. She followed him into his room, taking in the sight of what a mortal boy's room looked like. Her room looked nothing like this. It was bare save for the purple walls and flower designs on the ceiling. His room was amazing, covered with posters of aliens and yetis. Eirene couldn't help but feel in awe of it, letting her mouth slack slightly. Just as she was about to comment on it, Jamie asked, "Will you stay here tonight?"

Her eyes widened, making Jamie realize she obvious had different eye colors. He hadn't known at first, but now he had no doubt. "I can't stay the entire night, but I will stay until you fall asleep."

"Why?"

"I have to go home. My parents are probably looking for me."

"—cause you ran away?" Jamie yawned widely.

She nodded, sitting on the edge of his bed. Even his bed was more comfortable than hers!

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jack was seething, but he wasn't nearly as furious as Clementia. In fact, they weren't speaking at the moment. She was furious that Jack would let _elves_ babysit their daughter. Jack was furious that Eirene had slipped out without notifying anyone. He wasn't mad at Clementia, but he wasn't about to speak to her when she was angry. She may be the bringer of mercy and compassion, but she lacked any when dealing with him. He didn't see why he should be at fault for any of this.

Clementia was pacing back and forth, waiting for Gaia and the sisters to arrive. Even Amor had been called. Jack thought it was ridiculous to gather everyone up for to search for Eirene. He was more than confident about where she would have gone. He knew Pitch hadn't taken her, because the Nightmare King would have made some kind of performance about his abducting her. There was nothing like that here. Eirene simply vanished. Jack also knew that she was much more like himself than Clementia, which meant he knew some of her hiding places in the mortal world. Jamie's house would be the first place to check.

"Pitch and Hades are after her and you don't even care!" Clementia screamed suddenly, making Jack cringe.

"I do care," came the reply.

"Then help us find her! She could be anywhere."

"She's safe. Do you really think Pitch or Hades would take her and not gloat about it?"

"She's still in danger and we're not doing anything about it!" Clementia yelled again.

"I thought gathering a search party was part of helping."

Jack turned away from the window he had been staring at to look at the fighting women. Gaia and Clementia had never gotten passed the incident a few months ago. They used to have a bond, but now Gaia tried too hard and Clementia held grudges. They were always fighting.

"Jack, you and Sandy head out and look for her. We'll split up once everyone arrives. I don't like it that we're just standing here while she's out there alone." Clementia said, keeping her eyes on Gaia, but still angry at him.

Without a word, Jack took flight. He would meet up with Sandy in his castle in the sky. There were times Jack preferred to do things alone, but being with the mute man of sand would definitely speed it up. He had good eyes and was unbiased to the whole ordeal.

"Sandy!" Jack yelled, flying around the golden castle. The little man peered through his window and smiled brightly at the spirit of winter. "Eirene is missing. Will you help me find her? North and Bunny are already out looking. I think Tooth and her fairies are out as well."

Sandy nodded, dissolving his castle into an airplane and taking flight behind Jack.

"I think I know where she is, but we should look other places just to be sure." Jack tried to smile his usual, carefree smile, but his mind was churning with all of the dangers Eirene could be facing. He always tried not to let Clementia know how worried he was. No one was supposed to know that he was capable of worry or fear since he was the Guardian of Fun, but he was terrified that he might be too late.


	8. Chapter 8

_See? I told you I'd try to keep updating as often as I could. I hope this chapter gets your blood pumping a little._

* * *

She didn't remember falling asleep, but when she awoke, she was surprised that it was still dark out. She thought for a moment, letting her eyes adjust to the semi darkness that she had in fact left Jamie's once the boy started snoring. She thought she had been in flight, but she remembered growing tired. What she couldn't remember though, was landing and falling asleep on the stone floor she now was sprawled out on. It was cold and damp, almost like a cavern. She moaned, touching her head gently as it started to throb. She didn't recognize this place at all.

"Shh…" a whispered voice said suddenly from some dark and distant corner, "She's awake."

For a moment, she thought the accented voice belonged to Bunny. However, she soon registered the accent and realized it wasn't his at all. It was darker and English. She didn't know anyone with that kind of accent. A second voice came seconds later, chilling her bones.

"What'll we do now? She isn't any use to us dead or injured, Pitchner."

The first voice hissed, "I know! Keep her locked up until we finalize all the plans."

"Hello?" Eirene called out, standing up. The room went silent instantly, but she could still hear low, painful moans coming from other chambers. "Where am I? Who are you?"

Footsteps, slow and steady came to greet her. To her disbelief, the footsteps belonged to the man from the pond. Cloaked in black and his ashen gray skin menacing her even more now that it had in the sunlight, she cowered back slightly. She had known this man was evil when she first saw him and that feeling had subsided in the slightest.

"My dear Eirene, I didn't get to properly introduce myself the first time," He faux bowed, his spiky black hair unwavering, "I am Pitch Black, the Nightmare King."

She scoffed, "Picth is gone. He's locked up in his lair forever now that my father defeated him."

He hissed loudly, as if stung by her words, "Your father didn't defeat me in the slightest. Those wretched Guardians didn't win anything. Fear is what concealed me back into my lair, only until I was powerful enough to subdue them again. Your father is weak!"

"Don't say another word about my father!" Eirene shouted, rushing towards him suddenly. She wasn't powerful enough to defeat anyone, but she knew some fighting skills from Bunny and had hoped it would be enough to protect her and her father's pride. However, she was thrown back by a shockwave of evil. Flailing back to the damp ground, she grunted, trying to regain her composure.

"Those Guardians and deities have been nothing but a nuisance to me and my colleague. It's time we set some things straight for everyone." Pitch sneered, lowering himself to look into Eirene's eyes.

"What are you going to do?"

"I thought you would never ask!" Pitch clapped his hands together jovially, spinning around to look at the dark corner he came from. This time, Eirene saw a large and grotesque man emerge. His skin was gray like Pitch's, but scabbed and rotting from his bones. She cowered back in disgust. He approached her slowly, breathing heavily and raggedly, stretching out a hand for her as he got closer.

Terrified, she could only hold up a solitary hand and whisper in desperate pleas, "Jamie…Daddy… Mommy."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The window was rattling so loudly that he was sure that that was what woke him up. The air in his room was freezing, meaning that a certain winter spirit had come to visit. He smiled, jumping up from his bed and looking around for the deity of peace. His smile wavered when he realized she was gone, but a loud knock on his locked window reminded him of the other visitor.

He lunged to the window and unlatched it. He smiled widely at Jack Frost and looked surprised when the Sandman entered quietly behind him. However, his joy was diminished the moment he had a good look at the Guardian of Fun's expression.

"What's wrong?" Jamie asked.

Jack looked around the room carefully before answering him, "Have you seen Eirene?"

"Yeah! She was here earlier, but I think she left when I fell asleep. She said she had to go back home before everyone got worried."

Jack huffed heavily, running a hand through his snow white hair, "We must have missed her. We've been worried about her and no one has been able to find her. She was supposed to stay with North."

"Yeah, she was upset and wanted someone to talk to." Jamie nodded, recalling her distress earlier.

"What was she upset about?"

"Mother Nature said some mean things to her, I guess. She said she was supposed to move out and be on her own and that you and Clementia had decided that that was the best idea for her without talking to her about it."

Jack growled, turning to look at Sandy. The golden man just shrugged, forming Gaia above his head along with Man in the Moon.

"I know, I just wish she would stop playing tricks on her," Jack turned back to Jamie, staff now resting on his shoulder lazily, "Gaia lied to her, Jamie. If you see her, tell her to come home and that she won't be kicked out."

"Oh, she knows that already. She just needed to think about it for a while and then she realized that it wasn't true. I told her that you would never tell her something that you didn't mean."

Jack nodded in gratitude, walking back over to the window. Sandy flew out before him, but Jack stopped and smiled at the young boy, "She's pretty fond of you if she decided to come and visit you. I hope you like her just as much as she likes you. The only friends she's ever had were the elves and yetis."

Jamie nodded, smiling brightly. Jack nodded, taking flight and avoiding the gold sand stream that cascaded down into the room, swirling above Jamie's head. The boy barely made it to his bed again before sand figures of Eirene danced over his head.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She didn't dare open her eyes this time, in hopes that it was all a nightmare. She felt the grainy feeling across her pale skin before she smelled the rotting flesh. The low and painful moans continued on, but she didn't fear them anymore. She had grown used to them by now. She really didn't know how long she lay there with her eyes closed, breathing slowly in hopes that the two evil men wouldn't bother her. She could hear them speaking every once in a while, always in hushed voices. They were planning on using her as bait and taking her parents back into the chambers of this evil lair. The largest man would speak through clenched teeth whenever Clementia was brought up, but Pitch hissed at the mention of the Guardians. She knew they hated them all.

Now, she only had quiet time to think about how to escape or retaliated. All she needed was a way to get a hold of the Guardians. This was one of the moments where she wished she had the powers of the Guardians instead of the deities.

A small, silent sigh was released as she barely, indiscernibly opened her eyes. She needed to find out where the light was coming from and if there was any way out. She knew she was alone at the moment, other than the disembodied moans. There, at the other end of the room, was a light different than the blue and gray light. It was lighter, almost white as if coming from the outside.

This was her chance.

Eirene stood up in one swift movement and ran as fast as her legs would allow her. She ran down the light hallway, colliding with a stone door. It wasn't until the door opened and she saw the light of a mortal building that she let hope and excitement bloom from her chest. She barely began to smile, letting it curve her lips when the most terrifying sound came from behind her. Panicked, she still ran. Not relenting until she felt the crisp morning air rushed against her. She took flight, heading where she knew a safe house would be, but something grasped onto her.

Screaming and writhing to be free, she kicked the figure. It was useless, however, as she looked behind her and saw a corpse caterwauling and clawing at her legs. She knew she should have known better than to think they would have left her alone without supervision. They needed her. She was the most important part of their plan after all.

The weight of the corpse wasn't deterring, though. She kept her flight up until the skeletal claws began to dig deeply into her skin. Eirene screamed in pain, falling from the sky. It was to her great surprise when she saw red dust flit across her vision and the sharp pains disappear, that she knew she was safer. Still plummeting to the ground, she closed her eyes.

* * *

_Any guesses who saved her?_


End file.
